


Five Times Broun Avoided An Argument With Valence and One Time Broun Didn’t Even Try to Start One

by fangirl_squee



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: 5 Times, Other, spoilers for up to the kingdom game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:54:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29630079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: “I’m not a revolutionary,” says Broun.Valence tilts their head. ”You’re here with a bunch of revolutionaries.”
Relationships: Kal'mera Broun/Valence
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Five Times Broun Avoided An Argument With Valence and One Time Broun Didn’t Even Try to Start One

  1. _itchy feet_



It’s been a fortnight since they arrived on Fort Icebreaker, enough that even though it’s still a little chaotic on board Broun’s fallen into something of a routine. They go to meetings, they divide the work, they discuss the work yet to be done. No one shoots anyone, no one even threatens to. Despite the tension in the air, it’s the most peaceful situation Broun has been in in a long time.

They  _ hate _ it.

No ship within their grasp at the moment is anywhere near spaceworthy, but they think about taking a water one, just to get  _ away _ , to have  _ space _ .

“You could ask to go with Leap’s squad,” says Valence.

They’re standing next to Broun’s workbench, their posture perfect but resting their arms on the surface, more casual than Broun would ordinarily let someone be around their tools. Not that it  _ means _ anything, just that they just trust Valence enough to know Valence isn’t likely to steal them. It’s no different from how they would feel if Thisbe did it, although she probably wouldn’t be since the workbench would likely topple over if she leant on it. But in theory, they’d feel the same about it.

“You know,” continues Valence, nudging Broun’s side, “use that restless feeling to help.”

They stay close after the movement. They’re always doing that, tricking Broun into letting them in their space, close enough that Broun can feel the hum of their body through their robes. Still, Broun doesn’t shift away.

They just don’t feel like moving, that’s all.

Broun makes a face. “I don’t feel  _ restless _ , I- that’s different. Going with Leap’s crew would be  _ work _ , I’m talking about like… just getting  _ away _ .”

“I don’t think you can take vacations from being a revolutionary,” says Valence.

“I’m  _ not _ a revolutionary,” says Broun.

Valence tilts their head. ”You’re here with a bunch of revolutionaries.”

Broun huffs a breath. “Just because I’m here, that’s- whatever. It’s different. I’m here because I might be able to make some money off this thing.”

“I’m sure that’s not the only reason.”

Valence’s expression doesn’t move, but they can hear the smile in their words. Warmth curls in Broun’s chest and they tamp down on it, trying not to let it show on their face.

“Whatever, I just meant- I don’t know. I’m kind of sick of being in here.”

Valence is quiet for a long moment. “Would you really just leave Millennium Break?”

The answer is easy. The answer is  _ yes _ .

Broun shrugs. They feel Valence shift slightly, a sign of their annoyance.

“You really could do good work here,” says Valence. “You  _ are _ doing good work here.”

“I don’t care about doing good work, I care about doing  _ profitable _ work.”

“If we win, that  _ is _ profitable, to  _ everyone _ .”

“ _ If _ we win,” says Broun, “If we don’t, we’ll be- be- broker than ever. And in jail, probably, or killed-”

Their throat feels tight, cutting off their words. They look away. Valence reaches out, their fingertips light on Broun’s arm. Broun focuses down on it, blinking to clear their eyes. Slowly, Valence lets their hand rest on Broun’s arm, and Broun focuses on that too, the cool metal against their scales, the light friction of Valence’s joints against them.

Broun takes a breath, letting it out slowly. “I just- I don’t want to be stuck here.”

Valence shouldn’t be stuck here either - or Thisbe, they remind themselves. Both of them are too good to die on Partizan.

Valence squeezes their arm. “You’re not. We’re not, we just- it’s going to take a bit of work to get started, and I… I’m not going to force you, but... I would like it, if you were here to help.”

They’ve never been much good at helping, but Valence has never seemed to get that. Broun swallows around the ache in their throat.

“I mean, I guess I don’t have anywhere I’d even want to go right now,” says Broun, “I  _ guess _ I’ll stay.”

Valence’s body tips towards them. It’s not a hug, more that the side of their body fits against the side of Broun’s for a moment, like plates of a mech fitting perfectly together.

Broun doesn’t push them away.

  
  


  1. _supply run_



Broun feels twitchy when they get back from the supply run, the cramped feeling of Fort Icebreaker magnified by a day or two spent out over open water. They get out of counting supplies, leaving the work to Leap and Figure A. They seem to have a taste for that stuff anyway, and Broun’s never had the patience to count up things that aren’t their’s.

They’re not tired enough to go to their room and the idea of sitting in such a tiny space feels even  _ worse _ , so they roam to ship until they find a sliver of the deck that’s not underwater. It’s barely more than a patch and probably  _ will _ be underwater when the tide rises if the barnacles crusting under their feet are anything to go by, but it’s  _ something _ .

Broun takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly.

“Hey,” says Vallence, from behind them.

Broun feels a flare of annoyance - they can never get a moment alone on this damn ship.

“Hi,” says Broun, “What’s up?”

Valence stepps forward to stand at the railing with them. “Nothing, I just- I heard you were back, I wanted to see how it went.”

“We got the stuff,” says Broun.

“Yeah, but how did it  _ go _ ?” says Valence.

“Why don’t you ask Figure A?” says Broun, “They’re basically a walking report.”

Valence shifts slightly, the movement away from Broun barely noticeable but enough to signal that Broun’s crossed some line. Whatever. Valence has too many lines like that. They’re not going to apologise to someone who’s not even  _ here _ .

“But I wanted to ask  _ you _ ,” says Valence, their voice quiet.

“Well, you’ve asked me,” says Broun.

Valence huffs a breath. “Yeah, I guess I have-”

They take a step back, their feet slipping on the uneven deck. Valence’s hand flails, catching Broun’s arm and Broun grips their arm back, pulling Valence back to their feet. Their other arm goes to Valence’s side to steady them, the positions of their bodies closer to a dance than a rescue.

“Uh. Thanks,” says Valence.

The movement also brings Valence close to them, closer than perhaps they’re ever been besides when Broun ran maintenance. They can feel the hum of Valence’s body underneath their palms, making Broun prickle with a sudden heat.

They clear their throat. “Don’t, uh. Don’t mention it.”

Valence tilts their head and Broun’s hind-brain interprets it for them, tilting their head down to meet them, as if in a kiss. Instead, Broun’s forehead knocks against Valence’s mask.

They step back, lifting a hand to their forehead. “Ow.”

Valence steps forward to close the gap between them, putting a hand to Broun’s forehead. “Are you okay?”

“I’m  _ fine _ ,” says Broun, feeling their cheeks flush.

Valence’s hand lingers on Broun’s forehead before dropping slowly to their cheek, then down to their shoulder. Broun swallows, feeling as though Valence is running maintenance on  _ them _ , looking deep inside them to the exposed wiring of their heart. Broun’s fingers flex in the fabric of Valence’s robes.

“Broun, I-” Valence’s shoulders shift, the expression something Broun can’t place. “I just, I already know how we did with the supplies. I came to find you because I wanted to see how  _ you _ were, you get that, right?”

Broun’s throat aches and they hope it doesn’t show on their face. “I- Yeah, I guess. I mean, I’m fine, obviously. It’s just a dumb supply mission.”

“I know,” says Valence, “But I- it’s still dangerous. I still- I don’t want you to get hurt out there because Exeter Leap’s more concerned with piracy than safety.”

Broun huffs a laugh. “I’m used to watching my own back.”

“I know,” says Valence, “But I wish you didn’t have to.” They look down, clearing their throat. “I, ah- sorry.”

They step back. The wind feels as though it has a chill in it that it didn’t before. Valence’s robes must have been shielding them from the breeze.

“I should let you get back to…” Valence waves a hand. “Whatever it was you were doing.”

They turn away, stepping (carefully this time) back towards the door.

“Uh, wait,” says Broun.

Valence looks back over their shoulder.

“I, uh. I’m done out here,” says Broun, “I can, uh. I’ll walk you, so you don’t slip over on your way to… wherever.”

Valence tilts their head. “Sure, okay.”

  
  


  1. _not made for meetings_



They walk Valence to their meeting, which unfortunately means they get dragged into sitting through the meeting as well. It drags on. Every time Bround glances at the clock they’re  _ sure _ it must have been half an hour since they last looked but it’s only been a few minutes. They shift in their chair, picking at their nails under the table.

Valence gives them a look. Broun looks away. They’re an adult, and if they don’t want to sit through some dumb meeting about oil usage for each area of Fort Icebreaker then they don’t have to pretend they want to. Valence tilts towards them, and Broun tenses, bracing for the whispered reprimand.

Instead, Valence puts a hand on their leg.

Broun’s breath catches in their throat. They swallow, looking up at Valence, but Valence isn’t looking at them, caught up in a discussion with Gur and Gucci. Valence’s other hand rests casually in their lap, with their loose robes hiding the new position of their arm into Broun’s space.

Despite the fact that Valence’s hand is cool against the fabric of their pants, their skin and scales underneath the fabric feels hot, the heat travelling up Broun’s body. They let out a long, slow breath, trying desperate to keep their body casual.

Valence’s fingers flex, a casual motion, shifting a little higher, just above Broun’s knee. Broun takes a deep breath in, their own hands flexing against the arms of their chair. They swallow, looking over at Valence. Valence glances towards them, the tilt of their shoulders like a smile. Broun feels their cheeks flush.

They reach forward, Valence’s hand falling from their leg as they stand to clumsily pour themselves a glass of water from the jug in the centre of the table. Valence nudges their cup towards Broun, and Broun fills their’s too, flushing again at Valence’s nod of thanks.

As they sit down, they feel Valence’s hand return to their knee.

The meeting crawls on, even longer under the sensation of Valence’s hand. It moves very little, no higher than just above Broun’s knee, but the promise that it  _ could _ that it  _ might _ makes Broun’s cheeks flush and their mind turn to staticed heat.

  
  


  1. _a short break_



“-a short break?” Gur says.

“Sure,” says Valence, “Might be a good idea to stretch our legs. Broun?”

“Sure, yeah, great,” says Broun, standing quickly.

Valence follows them. They wait until they’re around the corner before they turn, pushing Valence back against the wall.

“What the hell was that?”

“What was what?” says Valence.

“You  _ know _ what,” says Brooun, struggling to keep their voice low. “With- your  _ hand _ , during the  _ meeting _ -”

Valence shifts a little. “I thought you’d- you seemed okay with it-”

“Well I’m not,” snaps Broun.

They let Valence go, quickly walking away. The confines of their room, where no one can  _ look _ at them, seem pretty good right now.

“Broun,” says Valence, “Broun, wait-”

“Do  _ not _ follow me,” says Broun, “I-”

They turn, looking at Valence, which was a mistake. All of the angry heat goes out of Broun at the sight of them, leaving just the ordinary heat in its wake, the phantom sensation of Valence’s hand tingling at their knee.

Broun lets out a breath. ”I just- I don’t want to go back to the meeting and- I mean, they don’t need me for anything there anyway, I just went because you… whatever. I’m just going to get some rest.”

Valence steps forward, putting a hand on Broun’s shoulder. Broun inhales sharply, feeling heat flare across their cheeks.

“Okay,” says Valence slowly, “If you’re sure you’re okay.”

Broun swallows. “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” Valence says again. They pause, squeezing Broun’s shoulder. “I’ll drop by when I’m done, let you know how it went.”

“Okay,” breathes Broun. They clear their throat. “I mean, sure, I might be asleep or whatever, I mean- you can do what you want.”

Valence tilts their head, returning to the meeting and leaving Broun flushed and alone in the hallway. Broun lets out a slow breath, starting back to their room. It’s cool in there, something they’re thankful for as they strip off layers of clothing, dumping them by the bed. They still feel heat curling inside them so they forgo the usual ratty  _ Divine Riot _ t-shirt and shorts they wear to bed, pulling the sheets over themselves before they push them aside.

Heat pulses inside them, trickling through them slowly. Broun reaches out a hand, lightly touching their fingertips to the patch of scales just above their knee, matching the ghostly sensation of Valence’s hand there. They gasp, heat jolting through them. They raise their hand higher, ghosting over their arousal.

Normally they have no specific thoughts when they do this - generic bodies and faces, vague scenarios at best. Now, they can’t help but picture Valence’s face, the unblinking eyes of the mask fixed on them as they work themselves, Valence’s hands on their knees to keep their legs parted, making Broun work for the friction they desperately need.

Broun bites their lip, their other hand trailing up their chest to their shoulder, tracing where Valence had touched them as they’d promised to visit Broun after, as they promised to come see them, where they might knock on the door at any minute and  _ know _ what Broun was doing, what they had done.

As Broun tips over the edge, they picture Valence’s hand over the bare scales of their leg, the hum of their machinery a match for the humming of Broun’s blood.

  
  


  1. _finalising repairs_



There’s a tentative knock at the door. Broun’s eyes snap open, uncomfortably aware of the sweat cooling on their skin.

“Uh. Who is it?”

“Valence? I said I’d- Is it okay to come in?”

Broun sits up, scrambling for their clothes. “Uh, give me- one minute, I just have to, um…”

They quickly pull their clothes on, trying to kick some of the mess of the room under their bed. Broun smoothes a hand through their hair, taking a deep breath in before they open the door.

“Hi,” says Broun.

“Uh, hi,” says Valence, “Can I… can I come in?”

“I- sure,” says Broun.

They shut the door behind Valence, tucking their hands in their pockets as they turn around. Valence shifts their feet.

“I, uh,” Valence begins haltingly, “I was- I think there’s something… not wrong but, maybe worn out, with my body, and I was hoping you could take a look, if you have time?”

“Um, yeah,” says Broun, “Yeah, I have… I have time, right now, if you want to… I mean, sure.”

Valence raises their hands to the ties of their robes and Broun tries to look away, their gaze pulled back to Valence even as they try to force it away. There’s a faint hiss as the mask comes away, opening Valence’s body to them. The ball of light that is Valence drifts out, hovering close by. Broun has a hard time not letting themselves stare at that either.

Broun swallows. “Where’s, um, where exactly do you feel like the problem is?”

Valence’s hand twitches near their shoulder.  _ Here, I think _ .

Broun flinches.

_ Sorry _ , says Valence,  _ I should have asked if you… _

“No, it’s fine,” says Broun.

They approach slowly, peeling away the exterior plating on Valence’s shoulder to see the workings underneath. Some of their nerves drop away, years of fixing and rebuilding and tinkering taking over.

_ So what’s the verdict? _ asks Valence.

“Just a couple of old pieces,” says Broun, “I have something that’ll work as a replacement, I think. If you’d like.”

_ Please _ , says Valence.

Broun hunts around for the pieces in one of their drawers, letting out a satisfied sound when they find them.

“I knew I had them,” says Broun, “I was using them on my ship.”

_ Oh? _

“Yeah, the navigation system,” says Broun, “That part’s done at least, so the rest is just, y’know, getting the parts. Like, I know what the problems are, so once I have that…”

_ Yeah _ . Valence is quiet for a few moments and then adds,  _ Would you really just leave in the middle of all this? _

“Partizan’s always going to be in the middle of  _ something _ ,” says Broun, “If I wait for it to be over I’ll be dead.”

_ Don’t say that _ , says Valence softly.

“What, it’s true,” says Broun, sliding Valence’s shoulder plating back on. “This moon’s always going to be a piece of shit to live on.”

_ It won’t always be that way, _ says Valence,  _ We’re going to change that. We  _ are  _ changing that. _

“Sure, maybe,” says Broun.

They step back, wiping their hands on a cloth as they look over their work. Valence’s arms reach out to grasp at their sleeve, Valence’s glowing light bobbing up to meet Broun’s eyes.

_ You can’t really think like that _ , says Valence,  _ You- you’re better than that Broun _ .

“I’m really not,” says Broun, “Ask anybody.”

_ I don’t need to ask somebody _ , says Valence _ , I’ve seen it. I’ve seen  _ you.

Valence’s hands reach up, clumsily touching Broun’s cheeks. The glowing light of Valence moves forward too, light and metal mixing as their touch Broun’s scales. Warmth buzzes around Broun’s skin and their hands flex at their sides.

_ You’re a good person Broun _ , says Valence.  _ You’re more than good enough _ .

Broun lets out a shaky breath. “I… you don’t have very good judgement about people.”

Valence laughs softly.  _ I think I do _ .

  
  


+1 _ fuck it _

Broun reaches up, covering Valence’s hand with their own, their fingers carding through the light of Valence’s body. Valence gasps in their mind, their metal body shuddering. Broun’s eyes widen and they let go of Valence’s hand, slowly drawing their fingers through the glowing light of Valence’s body.

_ Oh _ , says Valence,  _ Never felt that before. _

Broun stills. “Is that… good?”

Valence huffs a laugh.  _ Yes _ .

“Well,” says Broun, feeling more than a little smug, “Good.”

They do it again, keeping their movements slow, encouraging Valence to drift out of the machine fully. It’s arms go limp the further Valence gets from in, guiding Valence backwards to the bed. Valence laughs, swirling around Broun’s body.

“Hey,” says Broun with a laugh.

Valence twirls around them, bits of glowing light sneaking under their clothes.

“This is supposed to be a new experience for  _ you _ ,” says Broun.

_ You are a new experience _ , says Valence, their light pulsing.

Broun strips off their shirt, gasping a little at the sensation of Valence ghosting over their bare skin. They drag their fingers through Valence’s body, enjoying their response, the pulse of glowing arousal in the back of their mind where Valence’s voice comes from.

They experiment with the drag of their fingers, carding them slowly and faster, in straight lines or twisting patterns. Valence’s response thrills through them, the light of inside them crackling.

_ What… what about you _ ? says Valence.

“I thought we established that this was about  _ you _ ?” says Broun, grinning at Valence’s unsteadiness.

_ I just- oh, I- don’t want you to miss out _ , says Valence.

Part of them drifts down, over the growing arousal in Broun’s pants. Broun flushes, perhaps a ridiculous thing considering how naked Valence is right now..

“I- sure,” says Broun.

They unbutton their pants, gasping at the sensation of Valence around them as they’re exposed to the air. Broun works themselves in time to their hand through Valence, letting their sensations sink into the connection they share, the pulses of heat loop beck between them.

“Valence _ , _ ” they manage, “Valence, are you-”

_ Yes, yes _ , says Valence, their voice strained,  _ I can feel you, just- let go _ -

Broun does, the feeling washing back and forth between them like a wild tide. They flop backwards onto the bed, their legs dangling off the side. Valence drifts by them, gathering themselves into a ball and making Broun think of a contented cat. They laugh.

_ What _ ?

“Nothing,” says Broun. They pause. “Do you  _ really  _ come over because you wanted repairs?”

_ My shoulder has been stiff _ , says Valence. They laugh.  _ But no, not really _ . _ Although I admit, I thought we’d do more talking _ .

Broun laughs, trailing their fingers along the edge of Valence’s form.

Valence hums.  _ That feels nice _ .  _ Different to, uh. Earlier. But still nice _ .

Broun repeats the motion, relaxing back onto the bed as Valence recaps the meeting, their ideas for tomorrow, and the next day, and far into the future as something warm curls in Broun’s chest underneath them.

They’re still stuck on Partizan, but right now that doesn’t feel so terrible.

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


End file.
